Enable region free mode on your DVD player

DVD region codes, how I hate them. I never quite understood why publishers insisted on adding region codes to DVDs in first place as it is so consumer unfriendly. Region codes basically determine which type of digital contents players can play back, and in which players digital contents work.

If I move from the United States to Germany or Great Britain, I would have to import US DVDs as my player cannot play the discs sold in Europe and vice verse. Or, I could throw out my entire collection of DVDs, Blu-Rays and other media to start anew in the new country if I buy a new player there.

It is clear that companies want to limit you from benefiting from the global economy while they take full advantage of it.

The best option that you have is to buy a region free player, but that is not always possible. The next best option is to hack the DVD player to make it region free. Well, it is not really hacking but simply installing a new firmware on it that accepts discs from any region.

You probably think that this is a complicated process which requires knowledge and time - it is not. Region free mode can be enabled on most DVD players by simply using the remote to enter a certain code that enables it.

Sounds probably to good to be true, what do you think? All you need to do is go to the videohelp website and search their database that contains hacks for almost 5000 DVD players. I can't guarantee that your DVD player is among the 5000 listed but the chance is pretty good. Want an example to see how easy it is ?

I just picked one random DVD player from Samsung with the model number DVD-HD870.

• turn on dvd player
• make sure there's no dvd in closed tray
• press 'repeat' button
• 'no disc' disappears in left corner
• press 29334 if you have a R1 player
• 57538 if you have a R2 player
• 56732 if you have a R3 player
• 76884 if you have a R4 player
• 53814 if you have a R5 player
• 24462 if you have a R6 player
• current region code is visible in left corner
• press 9 for code free
• press 'Standby'
• enjoy!!

The database is regularly updated so that you should check back if your player is not listed there yet. What you can try instead is look for comparable models and try their unlock code instead. This may or may not work but it is worth a try I think.